Undead Survival Guide
by Hoobajoo
Summary: This is a zombie survival guide set out in interview format with tips, tricks and must-haves narrated by the very people who currently live by them 1 year on from Z-Day. Whether you wander or barricade, kill or avoid, create or steal, protect or destroy, lead or follow, are alone or one of many, this guide aims to keep you alive. Even if only a little bit longer...
1. Chapter 1

**Undead Survival Guide**

**Foreword**

Hello there. I am a survivor. You are too.

Our world is a broken and twisted thing. We are surrounded by technology and all sorts of high-end equipment, yet none of it works, or hardly any. Remember Google and Facebook?

Offline.

Remember traffic lights and cinema screens?

Dark.

Mobile phone?

Useless.

You used to carry your wallet around with you at all times, right?

Money is worthless and no one cares how bad the photo on your driver's license is.

We see power lines everywhere yet they do nothing. There is so much infrastructure sitting around dormant it seems to tease us with reminders of our past lives before Z-day (or whatever name you give the zombie apocalypse, there seems to be many variations).

We seem to be in a strange transition. We are living in a stone age of sorts surrounded by remnants of the electronic age. We are trying to figure out how to build the wheel again, whilst surrounded by jet planes and sports cars with flat batteries and rust.

We are surrounded by dead bodies, and also, it seems, dead objects.

But, of course, those dead bodies are moving and the very cause of our modern tech-death.

I would like to think that one day the great electric and fibre optical network is woken up, but until then we scratch out a living trying to keep the dead at bay. We are learning how to tread water next to the idle speedboat.

And that is the purpose of this book. No high-end ideas as to how the future can be moulded. For some return of our golden–age that we all can remember so well. This book has been compiled to guide you through the current challenge of simply staying alive in the current war.

We are at war. The enemy has us surrounded.

It is clichéd as shit, but nonetheless true.

How to find food. How to protect yourself. Back to basics.

I have to confess, there is a strange satisfaction in this more basic existence. It is the guiltiest pleasure to ever feel slightly thankful for the good things the zombies have brought or taken away.

You know what I'm talking about.

No more mortgage to the bank. No more workplace relations. No more speeding fines. No more government bureaucracy and waiting in lines. No more credit cards and timetables. Hell, I have a scavenged Breitling watch on and I barely use it!

Our life is primal and sometimes strangely satisfying. I hear this most often from men. Now they really are the protectors. They are the front line.

I am a woman and I can take care of myself, but I am thankful to all of the men around me. I have seen acts of real bravery. Men who held the line so that friends and family had enough time to climb a fence to safety as the man faced the swarm and died with purpose. I have seen men fight and get bitten and volunteer to shoot themselves in the head to save someone else the trauma.

I have also heard bad stories of vicious predators. Rapists, murders and sadists, but that's not a story for here.

My name is Kerry van der Kooip. I was a journalism student. I am a survivor. All of my friends and family from my former life are dead. I want to serve some purpose besides simply surviving, hence I am compiling this survival guide.

I have travelled and spoken with so many people and heard their stories. Heart break and triumph can be found in each. And each involves the iron will that human kind seems to rely on in the bad times. Before Z-day, it had been so long since last we saw it (9/11 and Vietnam before that).

This book doesn't focus on the stories altogether that much. I've found the best survivors and got them to put down their techniques, advice and experiences so that you might learn from it and stay alive.

Even if only for a bit longer...


	2. Chapter 2

**Undead Survival Guide: Wanderer **

**Chapter 1 – What should you have?**

I: Alright, let's get started. What's your name and age?

H: Henry McComb, 31.

I: What did you do before Z-day?

H: I was an accountant. I had a wife and two kids.

I: What happened to them?

H: Is this necessary? I thought you were after survival tips, not my personal story.

I: Well.. It helps the reader connect to the content. They're more likely to read into everything in depth and go cover to cover.

H: OK, well. I was at work in the city...

I: Which city?

H: Melbourne. Although there was controversy and unrest before then, everything was still business as usual. I was still expected to come to work. It was about lunchtime that day that the city erupted and the streets were engulfed in riots. Myself and some of my colleagues stayed on our floor in our building, level 18. We stayed put for four days and made a dash out of the city to the outer country suburbs. There were 17 of us on the floor, but only three of us made it.

I: What about your family?

H: Never saw them. Same goes for my Mum, Dad, brothers and their family as well as all of my friends.

I: Something that's happened to so many of us.

H: Yes, I suppose.

I: How did you survive?

H: By day four zombies had well and truly infested the major cities all around the country and the bulk of the carnage had happened. We managed to steal a car and drive three hours to the north into the country and sought shelter in a remote country home in the middle of nowhere. There was enough canned and non-perishable food to last, tank water as well and we survived for a long time scavenging from wherever we could find food. It was 500 metres down the road until the next house and 10 kilometres to the nearest town. We survived like that for a month.

I: Then what?

H: A supply run turned bad and my other two companions were killed. We lost our car so I was on foot. I had to start walking. Then I found a bike and started riding. I've been surviving like this for over a year now.

I: Where have you gone?

H: I've travelled from central northern Victoria up into New South Wales and southern Queensland. Thousands of kilometres.

I: Do you go with any particular destination in mind?

H: Not altogether that much. I don't go too far into the bush because it is necessary to be able to scavenge. I can scavenge very well, but I can't hunt very well. I'm not very good with a gun, so bringing down a Kangaroo or wildlife like that is difficult for me. I like to scavenge houses and towns for supplies.

I: How have you stayed alive all this time?

H: By being careful. Always. That one time you let your guard down and get reckless is the time that something goes wrong. I am never cocky and never play games. I take zombies very seriously because any zombie could kill me.

I: Do you ever join up with other people? Are you always alone?

H: Oh, I always come across other survivors. Because I'm going from town to town I'm always going to encounter people. I also meet people on the road. People wandering like me.

I: Is it a lonely life?

H: Yes and no. I've never been uncomfortable with silence. I've always been a loner. Before Z-day, when I would see someone on the train to work I know, I would often avoid them to listen to music or read a book. But of course you can't go completely without human company, so when I want company I go look for it.

I: So you prefer life on the road to living in a compound?

H: Yes. It is obviously dangerous, but I've acquired all sorts of skill and sensibilities that mean I am confident in what I do and that I can look after myself. I have become a bit of a claustrophobic person in that confined spaces make me nervous that I have limited options of escape should something go wrong. If I'm outside on the road, I can escape in any direction. I can climb a tree, I can swim down a river. I can climb a cliff. Lots of options. I can be strategic.

I: So that's the main advantage?

H: Yes. In terms of scavenging, there's plenty to survive on if you know where to look. And for those places that are secure and successful, growing crops and fortified, I can provide services. They need something specific, I can find it for them. I can go out and scavenge for them, or run messages. I can put myself at risk doing something they don't want to do, and I get paid with food, supplies or companionship. Trade.

I: Alright. That's a great way to introduce yourself and the life of a wanderer. How about we get into specifics?

H: Sure.

I: I was going to start with equipment.

H: OK

EQUIPMENT

I: OK, so as a wanderer, what things are going to keep you alive? What are the most important things to have with you?

H: Well, in no particular order, but I'm a firm believer in getting your clothes right. If it's cold, you need warm clothes, and if it's hot, thinner clothes. You don't want to get sick from the cold and you don't want to needlessly sweat away precious water in the heat. Also, you need protection from the sun, so skin covered (as sun screen would run out quickly) and wide brim hat. Sunglasses also are great.

I generally wear lighter clothes during the day and dark clothes at night. The white clothes keep you cooler. The dark clothes are for camouflage at night if you're sneaking around.

But whether it is summer or winter, I think good footwear is a must. Good socks and solid comfortable shoes. I like hiking shoes. Sneakers aren't as tough wearing as boots and you're more likely to injure yourself when the terrain gets rough. Also, the heavier and more solid the shoe, the more useful in a zombie fight if need be. Hiking shoes (as opposed to boots) are good because you can still comfortably pedal a bicycle, whereas boots rub and wear on your ankles.

I prefer cotton socks and carry several pairs. Rotate your socks everyday and give them a chance to dry out properly overnight. It prevents fungal infections and other rot. The socks will also last longer. If you are in a secure location, take your boots off as well. Let them dry out as well, but if in doubt, keep them on.

Clothes are generally somewhat easy to source. Houses have wardrobes, towns have shops. You can afford to be a bit fussy, so don't be afraid to throw away your old clothes if you've found something superior. I shouldn't have to say it, but don't care how you look. No one gives a shit about fashion. Everything must be functional. I couldn't care less if you were wearing Calvin Klein or Kmart. Just so long as it works.

The last item of clothing is not quite clothing per se, but is your backpack. Find a hiking backpack if you can that's comfortable and large. Don't be too fussed if it is bulky, because it will be as heavy as you want it to be. An empty backpack, no matter how big it is, doesn't weigh anything really. But get one that is comfortable. Make it tight. If you need to run (and you will), you don't want the backpack swinging around loose on your back. It should be part of your body.

Those are the most necessary things and the following are tips that are negotiable, but I really like to do.

I like easy access pockets. That means zip pockets on jackets and pants. Good place for a handgun, matches, torch, compass. That sort of stuff. Survival stuff. You want zip pockets because you obviously don't want to lose anything. When you run, you'd be surprised what can fall out your pockets, especially if you need to do a bit of parkour-type stuff.

I also like a backpack with a secure drink bottle pouch. But it must be secure. A simple pocket or pouch is not good enough. It must be buttoned down or zipped in or you'll lose it.

I'm also not above wearing skater or BMX style hand guards, elbow pads and even knee pads. They're a good way of shoving or attacking a zombie without risk of breaking skin and getting infected. I generally only wear them when I'm in a risk environment, like scavenging in a town.

I: Any other tips for clothes?

H: Not really. You should really only have the one pair of shoes and-

I: Only one pair?

H: Yes. Shoes take up a lot of room in a backpack and if they're hiking style boots they can get heavy on your back as well. Especially if they're steel reinforced. Y'know. Work boots with steel toes.

Same for everything else. One of everything except for socks and underpants.

I: What other equipment do you recommend?

H: Well I'll move on to weapons. That's a popular item.

Guns are great. But it's good to have something small in my opinion. I should caution that this is only my preference given I'm not a good shot. I'll openly admit that. I could see how if you're a good shot you'd want room for a rifle, especially for hunting purposes, but I don't. I have a semi-auto pistol. I found it and that's what I go with. It fits in my pocket so I can draw it if need be. I use it as a last resort if I'm in a corner and I need to kill to get out. Otherwise, I use my primary weapon which is a sharpened steel pole. It is a tube steel rod about 150cm long and two fingers in diameter (so 4 cm, I think). That's thick enough not to bend and buckle, but not to be so heavy that it's a real strain. I use it as a walking pole as well.

One end is melted to a solid point and sharpened. I worked it down on a grinder I found in a workshop once. I find it a great weapon for several reasons.

It's great to knock down zombies and keep them away. Ever heard the phrase "Wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole?" Well it's not ten feet, but it's a good way to keep them away.

If you do need to deal some death, I like to knock the zombie flat (with a kick or pole poke) and then stab through the eye or bash in the skull. Either works.

I also really like to use it when I'm up a tree. I'll talk about it later, but I often enough sleep in large trees that zombies can't climb. Zombies can congregate around you and with the pole I can stab down at them below, systematically killing them off with stabs and whacks and make a getaway when they're all dead.

In essence, I like my pole because I like the reach it gives me. I have a strap on my backpack so I can stow it away if I'm climbing or need both hands.

I also keep some long screwdrivers with me as well. A good stab in the eye kills them quickly without it lodging in bone and getting lost. I keep two or three in pockets by my knees (cargo pants).

Those are the weapons I like to use. My pole is customised, but you could use any steel rod or pole that is strong enough. Basically, if you could whack a telephone pole, or a tree or a street sign as hard as you can and the rod doesn't buckle or bend, it will do the job.

I: What about other weapons? Machetes? Baseball bats?

H: Yeah. I've never used a machete, but I've seen other people use them. Here's why I don't like them. They embed and get stuck. Have you ever chopped wood? The axe blade lodges in the wood and you have to leverage it out. Now, flesh and bone is a bit softer so the blade lodges deeper in and gets stuck and it's a bitch to get it back out again, and impossible in a heated fight. It's a one hit wonder.

It is for that reason I dislike bladed weapons of any kind really.

The best weapons are blunt ones. Often you don't need to kill a zombie, merely avoid them. A solid push will topple a zombie. You could literally push a zombie over and stroll away casually with a ten metre lead before the zombie gets back on their feet and comes after you again. If you're power walking, much more. Zombies are slow. They'll often take 5 to 10 seconds getting up if they've been pushed over. More if a bone's been broken. Even an arm. How difficult is it to get up using only your legs and one arm? It's harder for a zombie. Especially given they're dumb enough to try using their broken arm a couple of times before it occurs to them to use their good arm instead.

If you smashed a zombie's arm with a wooden paling or piece of timber, the zombie will likely get a broken arm and fall over. It could fumble around for 20 seconds before it's up on its feet again. Plenty of time to get away.

You don't want your blunt weapon to be too heavy or light. Hammers can be good, but a bit on the light side. And the head is small enough to lodge in a zombie's skull. It's also not heavy enough to reliably knock a zombie off their feet, especially given the temptation to do an overhead chop. That's hitting in the wrong direction. And there's the problem of them being too small in my opinion. Thank about how close you'd have to get to put a solid whack into a zombie's face or neck. You're within arm's reach. That's dangerous.

The same goes for crowbars. They'd be great if they were longer.

Sledgehammers are simply too heavy. Heavy to carry around constantly and heavy to wield. You'll tire quickly and they'll muck your aim. And if you've got three zombies coming at you, slow hits are bad. By the time you smash down the first one and raise the hammer to strike again you're in trouble.

Things like cricket bats and baseball bats are not bad. Not the most durable though. Made of wood means they'll splinter and give out, especially at the handle. Golf clubs are useless. Even if you got a square hit with the golf face, the shaft will bend uselessly.

The best weapons are made from steel because of strength and durability. Only problem is finding good candidates. Often you have to make do with what you've got, but hopefully this helps.

I: Any other weapons?

H: Fire. We've all contemplated things like Molotov cocktails and stuff like that, but I find them overrated. Think about it. Fire spreads so it's a danger to you. Especially if the zombie coming at you is covered in flames.

Also, it actually takes a long time for a zombie to succumb to flame. There's quite a bit of insulation between the brain and the outside world. It takes a while for the fire to boil the brain, especially if the fire is starting from the legs and needs to burn up the zombie's body to get there.

Often enough you'll find that it doesn't actually kill the zombie and fills the air with a disturbingly delicious cooking meat smell that will make you hungry! How bizarre is that?

I: Oh my god! That's gross and funny!

H: Yeah!

That's it for weapons. I was thinking to move on to survival equipment.

I: Yeah sure!

H: OK. Al lot of these I would go through in more detail later, but here are some really handy and in many cases essential things to have:

Matches (and flint if you can)

Compass

Torch

Headlamp

Lots of batteries (as many as you can get)

Some cutlery

Can opener (plus one more for back up)

Baby wipes

Notebook and pens

Zip lock plastic bags or sandwich ba_g_s (very handy)

First aid kit

Vitamins

Twine / fishing line and hook and sinker (for fishing)

Swiss army / pocket knife (two or three)

Duct tape

Small make up mirror

Map

Nail clippers and tweezers

Metal water canteen (for boiling water)

Thin rope

Very small shovel or even just a gardening trowel

Thin blanket (sleeping)

Most of these items are small and lightweight. Of all of the above, the only bulky items are the blanket, shovel and first aid kit. Each are necessary are have their own very distinct uses and roles. For a bike, it is a great idea to have strapped on it somewhere a pump and an inner tube. You'll obviously want a helmet as well (good in a fight as well by the way).

Do you want me to go through the uses and reasons for each of the above?

I: I think that would be more than enough for a separate chapter. Plus, I'd love it if you could also talk more generally about survival and camping later on.

H: Oh, OK.

I: I think that's the first chapter done. The next chapter I was thinking could be dealing with the undead.

H: Obviously something everyone needs to do.

I: That's right.


	3. Chapter 3

**Undead Survival Guide: Wanderer **

**Chapter 2 – Dealing with the Undead**

I: OK, we talked broadly about equipment. Let's get into specifics.

H: Yep. I was thinking the most obvious thing was how to deal with the undead.

I: Right.

H: Now, this is important. I said 'deal', not kill.

I: Ah, yes.

H: I travel a lot and generally when I encounter a zombie on the road I simply pass it by. They'll wander after me, but I outrun them very quickly on my bike and soon lose them. If I'm on foot, I do like to kill them to prevent them from accumulating and following me in groups.

But I thought I might start with my observations on zombie physiology.

I: OK.

H: I'll start with the obvious stuff. How do you kill a zombie? Damage the brain. That is the only way to shut them down. The most obvious way to do that is physical trauma. A whack or stab to the head that injures the brain. In that sense, the brain must be severely disabled.

I've seen zombies fall down and crack their head on the asphalt. A fall like that would cause something like a bleed on the brain or some other form of brain damage that would kill a living person, but not enough for a zombie. You either have to pierce the brain through an orifice (eye socket, ear canal or even through the nose or mouth) or break the skull and get some brain matter from the inside to the outside.

I: Haha!

H: Pardon me, miss. But have you ever actually done this?

I: Well... come to think of it. I've only ever shot them. I've never take one down using my hands or handheld weapons.

H: Well let me tell you. It's hard work. The skull is tough. It is bone surrounded by flesh and it is strong. So, if you're going to break a zombie's skull you have to swing hard and also know where to hit. The strongest part of the skull... Where is it?

I: I don't know...

H: Where corners meet. The top of the forehead where the hairline is. It is also strong where the sides meet the top of the head. The corners and ridges. The back is also curved and therefore quite strong.

That's not to say don't attack there, but you must be mindful of it.

The best places to strike with a blunt weapon are through the face or the sides by the ears. There is a lot of secondary bone in those areas so a hard hit will often cause the bone surrounding the impact site to break off and pierce the brain.

A strike to the face is best aimed for square at the nose. This is best achieved if the zombie is lying down looking up. To achieve this, you should kick the zombie in the stomach sending them falling backwards and then follow with an overhead swing down in the face. The skull will cave in and pulverise the brain. This is my favourite method as it attacks the weakest part of the head and is also the safest as the zombie is prone and vulnerable.

Although the side of the skull is a good impact site, getting a swing to contact safely without a zombie getting their hands on you is more difficult. The aim is harder to achieve because the impact site is smaller (you are aiming for the ear) and it is easy to get a swing to glance off the zombie's shoulder and open your guard. Although it can be achieved, I much rather prefer a side shot to the neck.

A broken neck will sever or rupture the spinal cord leading to a zombie that is neutralised, even though not technically "dead". You don't even need to break the neck. A solid hit may leave the neck intact, but a disc dislodged that will compress the spinal cord and disable the zombie just as well. For the reason a neck shot can be easier to execute than a side-head shot as less power is needed. You've also got more of an area to hit. You don't even need to hit the neck directly. A solid whack to the top of the neck where it meets the jaw line will be enough to cause a whiplash effect and damage the spinal cord. There is more room for error.

In terms of sharp stabbing weapons, a stab through the eye socket is the easiest to execute, purely due to the eye socket opening being larger than the ear canal and safer than a stab in the nose cavity and through the mouth. This is best achieved with a kick down to flatten the zombie, leaving it prone and you in more control.

Sharp weapons generally don't work that well on the neck, so don't bother. A machete can work quite well on the neck, but only really if you are chopping the back of the neck where the amount of flesh between the skin and bone is the narrowest. A chop from the side or straight on has to travel through a fair amount of flesh before it hits bone, dulling the force of your strike and increasing the chance of the blade embedding and getting stuck.

Obviously in terms of firearms, you want a simple shot that will pass through the brain. This should be a pretty simple concept.

That's killing a zombie, but what about dealing with them?

How exactly to deal with zombies depends on your surroundings, your weapons, how many zombies there are, how big they are and whether you are by yourself or part of a group.

Your surroundings are important. Can you run away easily if required? Can you see in all directions? Is it dark or light? Are there shadows and corners? Is it wet and slippery? Is there debris around you can use if need be, like wooden palings or even overturned tables and chairs?

There are so many variables that can help or hinder. I like open spaces. I absolutely hate corners and obscured vision. I like to know where everything is. My worst nightmare is needing to run from a situation only to run blind around a corner and into a waiting zombie mob.

How many zombies there are is obviously an issue to think about with the most obvious consideration being the less the better, but also how congregated they are. Lots of zombies spread out is OK because you can either pick them all off one by one with your weapon or evade between them and escape. The worst scenario is the zombie mob that is grouped together. It's a wall that is very difficult to get through without life ending-injury at the least.

A zombie's physical characteristics are also very important. If a zombie is a big fat guy, you might like to avoid compared to a small skinny guy. The fat guy could fall on you, whereas the skinny guy can be swatted or pushed away. The smaller the better. I hate to say it, but it's the same with kids. They are smaller and easier to handle.

If you are alone versus operating in a group is also a big consideration for all of the above. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Strength in numbers can clash with the 'no one left behind' mindset. One group of people can all be killed because of the prerogative that each person must be saved if in trouble. I think if you are in a group, everyone must have an understanding that you operate as a group and for the benefit of the group. Sometimes that might mean one member must act for the group above their own needs. That might mean luring zombies away, staying behind to ensure a door is closed or barricade fixed or even taking one for the team.

H: Are you serious? Taking one for the team?

I: Well, let me give you a scenario which I have seen.

Eight people were scavenging in a town with an active zombie population. I was one of them. A mob started bearing down on us and we had to get in our cars and get away. We all jumped into the cars, but a girl cut it too close and the door wouldn't close. A zombie got a hand through the threshold and they started climbing in. The driver tried to help the girl, but by the time he shot the zombie the car was surrounded, they bashed through the glass and they both died.

What the driver should have done was speed off as soon as the girl jumped in even with the zombie still half inside the car. The zombie might have bitten the girl before it was thrown out or shot, but at least the driver and the supplies would have gotten away.

Instead, no one did.

I: Yeah, but-

H: No. It is about survival and the greater good. The group must survive, not the individual. You play hero, you die.

I: Well, I agree with the hero bit, but you've got to look after each other.

H: Yes, that's all well and good, but if a member of your group endangers the entire group because of a failing or some sort of disregard, the group must survive. The failed individual is held accountable by being left behind, or left to fend for themselves or dying of need be.

I: Cold way to look at it.

H: Well, I'm alive, aren't I?

I: We should get back to handling the undead.

H: Yes.

Zombies are relatively easy to avoid and evade. They don't see very well, they don't hear very well, but they do smell quite well.

I like to skulk around at night because zombies are useless in the dark. Think about their eyesight. An eyeball is a very delicate instrument. It is a ball of jelly with very delicate lens focussed by very delicate tendons and is a high precision organ. Think about how many people that either were or are alive that have bad vision requiring glasses. Well, zombies must have blurry vision as a general rule. In all my experience, I don't think zombies can see detail very well, but they can see movement. They see and recognise other zombies because of their movement pattern. They recognise it I think.

A human moves differently and generally also more quickly, so they hone in on that.

It is for that reason that if a zombie mob is nearby you can sneak by walking slowly or even mimicking zombie movement and not get detected even if you are within line of sight. It's really freaky. They are staring at you and then look away. You can actually see them see you, consider you and then dismiss you as a non-target.

I: ReallY?

H: Yeah! I also find that sneaking around scurrying between cover is also really good. They might see you scurry along, but if you disappear from sight by hiding behind a car, wall or whatever else, they will either dismiss the movement or focus on where they first see you and no follow where you are actually going. They might see you at the start of your journey, but they'll go to that start. They won't anticipate where you are going. They won't 'head you off at the pass'. Because they are obviously stupid.

This can be used to advantage. You can get their attention with a 'hello!" and then scurrying away behind cover and get around them as they focus in on your area of distraction.

If they are blocking a street you want to get down, yell hello, double back and around through some alleyways and come around from the other side and the street opening will be clear as they head to where you were, not where you are or where you are going. This works really well when there's a mob.

Zombies like to come together in groups. They like to congregate. If a group of zombies peel off in a hurry, others will join purely as part of a herd mentality. You can understand the reason for that. 'The others are moving in a direction suddenly, so they must have found prey. I'll join them.'

I: Oh wow!

H: yeah.

Zombies don't hear very well either. They can hear noise, but they are not good at distinguishing what the noise is. When zombies congregate, they bump into each other or knock things over. When a zombie knocks over a coke can sending it bouncing down the street, they all snap around and go for the noise. They think it's prey, just because it is noisy and different.

This can be used. You hurl a coke can or glass bottle down the street away from where you want to go and zombies will go for the noise. They'll attack. They won't think to work backwards to where the coke can was thrown, even if they see the arc of the throw. The cluttering noise, might attract only a certain number initially, but other will then also move as they watch and hear their comrades follow the others. It's like cars banked up at a set of traffic lights that have gone from red to green. There's a delay as each car only moves when the one in front moves. Zombies are similar. Each will follow the other, but the likelihood decreases as the later followers seem to do so more out of curiosity than attack mode and so the effect wears off after a while.

Nevertheless, it is a very useful behaviour to take advantage of when sneaking around obstacles.

I: Wow. I never thought of that.

H: Why not?

I: Well, I've never had to do that I suppose.

H: Why not? How have you survived?

I: Let's focus on you.

H: OK.

I: What other tips do you have?

H: Well, I did say zombies have a pretty good sense of smell. Not sure why actually. Just like eyeballs, the sensitive fibres inside the nostrils used for smelling are also delicate and sensitive, but there must be something about the zombie physiology that preserves their state and function.

I have never needed to use the "cover-myself-in-zombie-guts" trick. I don't have the stomach to rub myself in all that shit. Whilst zombie's are good at detecting a person's smell, they don't seem very good and discerning direction. They might know you are around, but won't find you.

Nevertheless, it is at least worth keeping in mind the direction of the wind. Best to stay downwind. If they smell you, they get agitated and move around more, searching for you. It's much easier to deal with a clueless and docile mob.

I: Of course.

H: I was thinking of moving on to scavenging and survival techniques.

I: Oh, OK.


End file.
